What’s new in 2026: the programme premieres at glasstec in October

The new offerings are spread across various areas of the trade fair: some focus on personal exchange, others on technology updates, live demos or regulatory guidance. This means glasstec 2026 complements its existing supporting programme with formats that address current industry issues from a variety of perspectives.

Introducing “women in glass” 2026 sees a new networking format launched specifically for women in the glass industry. Centre stage are female expertise, professional visibility and personal exchange on career paths and current challenges in the sector. Lectures, a panel discussion and networking bring together experts and leaders from manufacturing, technology, design, research and management.

“women in glass” will take place on 20 October from 3.30 pm to 6.00 pm in Hall 10, Room 10.1.

The event is accessible with the trade fair admission ticket, additional registration is required. The language of the event is English without translation.

With GlassPrint LIVE glasstec focuses on the latest developments in glass finishing in a compact format. The Session will deal with market trends as well as new technical possibilities in digital and screen printing. It will also address the question of how design, functionalisation, efficiency and more sustainable processes can be linked with each other. A panel discussion will complement the technological contextualisation with views from the industry.

At the same time, this event will provide a first preview of the GlassPrint 2027 Conference and Exhibition in Düsseldorf.

GlassPrint LIVE will be held on 20 October from 4.30 pm to 5.30 pm on Stage 1 – glass trends live in Hall 10, A10 and admission is included in the trade fair ticket.

Another “port of call” for novel technologies and business models is the BMWE Young Innovators Joint Stand. There young innovative firms from Germany will present their products, processes and services for the glass industry. This format enables visitors to directly enter into dialogue with the founder teams about applications, markets and possible fields of application.

The BMWE Young Innovators Joint Stand is located in Hall 11.

For the first time, glasstec will join forces with ift Rosenheim to present the Special Exhibition “safe – innovative – sustainable”. Centre stage here is the question of how glass products and construction elements can make buildings more resilient against weather extremes and physical attacks while complying with requirements made on climate efficiency and circularity at the same time.

On display will be functional exhibits and product combinations as well as digital applications and live tests. The risks covered include hail, heavy rain, flooding, storm, overheating, burglary and vandalism. Add to this, solutions such as vacuum insulation glazing, adaptive solar control systems, low-CO₂ glazing as well as repair, re-use and recycling approaches.

The Special Exhibition will be held across all four trade fair days in Hall 10, G82. Live demonstrations are scheduled daily at 11.00 am and 3.00 pm. 

Connected, software-assisted and increasingly AI-based machines not only change manufacturing processes but also regulatory requirements. The GIMAV Roundtable therefore shines a light on the transition from the former Machinery Directive to the new EU Machinery Regulation.

Discussions will focus on AI and machine learning, software and updates, cybersecurity, technical documentation and product liability, to name but a few. Questions related to maintenance, spare parts, supply chains and the lifecycle management of modern assets will also be covered in this subject area. The format therefore especially targets manufacturers, upstream suppliers and operators of machinery and equipment for the glass industry.

The GIMAV Roundtable will be held on 23 October from 1.30 pm to 3.00 pm on Stage 1 – glass trends live in Hall 10, A10. Participation is included in the trade fair ticket.

How can machines of different vendors be connected seamlessly? The VDMA’s special area Connected Machines will show how standardised interfaces and shared data models enable cross-vendor data exchange using concrete applications. At eight display stations visitors will be given insights into the current developments in machine connectivity – from specs for flat and container glass to interoperability and energy-management solutions. A focus will be on OPC UA FX, an extension to the open industry standards OPC UA for connection on the field level. The OPC Foundation, that develops and maintains the standard, will demonstrate on a multi-vendor wall how components of various automation vendors can communicate with each other.  

Connected Machines can be visited on all four days of the trade fair in Hall 15, Stand C28.

From networking and glass finishing to technology start-ups and building safety to new requirements in mechanical engineering: these new formats create additional resources for the key topics of glasstec 2026. All dates and detailed information can be found in the current programme at glasstec.de.

glasstec will be held in Düsseldorf from 20 to 23 October 2026.